Dear VCES Community,

It was wonderful to see so many of you in attendance at our first-ever Invention Convention on Friday night. Those of you able to attend witnessed an excellent display of the student creativity present at our school. Special thanks to science specialist Sarah Zinzer, in her first year working at Valley Catholic, who was the brain behind the whole invention process and helped guide our students on the invention-creation journey. We are so appreciative of Sarah’s contributions to our school! Thank you to all of you as well. Many of you played significant roles in the guidance of students and in the development of project ideas. Parent support and involvement in each child’s education is so very important!

Many of you also took advantage of Wednesday’s beautiful weather to join us for one of our Elementary School traditions – the May Crowning. For the first time in a very long time, we held the annual ceremony outside at the Grotto just outside the Convent and old Elementary School building. Sr. Denise did a terrific job preparing students for the crowning, and having the event outside at the Grotto worked just perfectly. We thank you for your attendance at all of our Masses and prayer services, and especially the crowning event this week.

A day off for students this Monday allowed us to make significant progress in our accreditation self study. We are in the final stretch of the first part of the accreditation process, and our work so far has yielded positive results. As I have mentioned before, the process also allows us to look at the feedback we have received and to think about making improvements to the education program we offer. We look forward to setting goals and making plans in the second major phase of the accreditation self study to begin next school year.

Please consider joining us this weekend for a variety of events and activities. On Saturday, we have the International Festival in the Eagles’ Gym, and on Sunday, a retirement celebration for Sr. Juliana Monti will be held in the school cafeteria and our Mother-Son Bowling event will take place at Sunset Lanes.

In Christ’s peace,

Joe Manning
Principal

THE WEEK AHEAD:

Saturday
International Festival – Eagles’ Gym & HS Cafeteria – 2 pm

Sunday
Mother-Son Bowling – Sunset Lanes – 1:30 pm
Retirement Party for Sr. Juliana Monti – Cafeteria – 2 pm

Monday
K-2 MAP Testing
Recess Supervisors: MaryBeth Wolfe & Peter James

Tuesday
VCES VALOR Network Meeting – Cafeteria – 6:45 pm
Early Dismissal – 2:05 pm
Recess Supervisors: Natalia Gurzhiy & Loc Nguyen

Wednesday
Prayer Service (1F) – Eagles’ Gym – 9:35 am
Recess Supervisors: Laura Kuhner & Ken Mann

Thursday
Fifth-Grade Field Trip
Recess Supervisors: Laura Schultz & Loc Nguyen

Friday
Assembly to Recognize Mariel Zagunis – Valiants’ Gym – 1:15 pm
Special Dress – Red, White, and Blue – All students will wear items that are red, white, and blue to show support for VC Alum Mariel Zagunis who will compete again in the Olympics this summer.
Recess Supervisors: Valerie Stecher & James Noll

Performers for "A Comedy Tonight": Front (kneeling): Richard Yates and Katrina Espey. Others, from left: Genie Genetiano, Jason Sage, JP Rivera, Evan Tait, Molly Hoffman, Monica Vinson, Lorene Berthelier, Anna Corazza, and Stephen Pierce. Katherine Kraemer is not pictured.

Submitted by Drama Director and English and Drama Teacher Ginnie Sutfin

Valley Catholic High School’s drama department closes out its most successful season ever with the annual drama showcase on May 30, which this year is titled “A Comedy Tonight.” The evening will feature scenes written by the drama students, as well as pieces from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the tradition of Commedia Dell Arte, and scenes from playwright Don Zolidis. The showcase will be performed by members of the drama class.

For seniors Evan Tait, Anna Corazza, Katherine Kraemer and Stephen Pierce, this will be their final performance on the Valley stage after being involved in productions since their freshman year. Seniors Jason Sage, Genie Genetiano, Molly Hoffman, Katrina Espey, JP Rivera, and Monica Vinson will join them, along with junior and French exchange student Lorene Berthelier and freshman Richard Yates. “A Comedy Tonight” is free to the public.

This one-time performance is on May 30 at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium. All are welcome for an evening of laughs and performances from our talented students.

To celebrate a new feature, our “Be an Advocate” program, we are offering a Friends and Family 20 percent discount. Please print the coupon code!

The “Be an Advocate” program offers incentives that reward the shoppers and your store!

Here’s how it works:

• When you refer a friend or family member and they join our community, they receive 500 Reward Points-a $5 value, redeemable at checkout—and your organization receives 100 points.
• When that friend or family member makes their first purchase, you receive 500 Reward Points and your organization receives another 900 points. Everyone wins—click on the Be an Advocate link on your main page to learn more and sign up.

Happy Shopping!

Submitted by VCES Principal Joe Manning

Beginning next fall, our students will have the opportunity to take after-school classes in drawing, painting, and sculpture with an outside group called Fine Art Starts. Join this fall for a fun-filled after-school fine art studio! As part of the program, students balance their own ideas with fun, fine art skills…no crafts! Registration will be available online beginning June 15. Please see the attached flier. Look for a flier when school begins, too!

Fine Art Starts is a non-profit art education group, working with young artists in the tri-county areas since 1997 through after-school classes and summer camps. Find more information at fineartstarts.com or call 503.723.9661. 

A note from Sr. Denise:

Thank you to the students, parents, and guests who took part in the Music Jamboree Friday evening. It was a great evening of wonderful music. I also want to thank all who helped with the set up and the clean up afterwards. God bless you!

Photos by SSMO Ministries Communications Photographer Casey Braunger

Having trouble viewing the slideshow? Click here.

May 11, 2012

Dear VCES Community,

I want to spend much my letter this week offering thanksgiving to you, our school community, for two things for which I find myself grateful this week.

On last Friday night, I attended my first-ever All-Campus Music Jamboree. I had heard so much about this event during my time as a Middle School teacher, but my involvement in supporting our school’s track programs had prevented me from being able to attend. I thoroughly enjoyed my first attendance, and this was primarily due to two reasons. First, it was a lot of fun to listen to the progression of talent development across the grade levels and to see so many of our students sharing their God-given gifts and talents with others. It was also enjoyable because I was able to again see how supportive this community can be! Families packed the Valiants’ Gym and many stood in the doorway in order to see our students perform, and the support shown that evening was so inspiring and invigorating for me to see. Thank you for supporting your children and our school’s music program.

I also, on behalf of all of our teachers, want to extend our gratitude and appreciation for the kindness and generosity poured out during this week’s Teacher Appreciation Week. You treated us all so well, and we cannot thank you enough for making this week such a treat for us! We are so grateful for the opportunity to work with your children – it is a great blessing in our lives. Thank you!

As you have probably noticed on the calendar, we begin our second-round of MAP testing next week for students in grades K through 2. The testing will allow us to track growth and progress throughout this year and across grade levels. Please remember some of the things I shared when we tested in the fall. The MAP test is structured so that it becomes more difficult as the child progresses through it. When students start missing answers, the test automatically levels off, giving a reading of their level of academic progress on that particular day. Remember that the test is just a snapshot of a student on the day the test was given. A student may do a bit better or worse on any given day. At the end of the year, we will share the results with you and provide an explanation of what the test results indicate.

To all you mothers out there, I want to wish you a happy Mother’s Day. Enjoy spending time with your families on what looks to be a beautiful day!

God’s peace be with you all,
Joe Manning
Principal

THE WEEK AHEAD:

Monday
No School – Accreditation Preparation Day

Tuesday
K-2 MAP Testing
Early Dismissal – 2:05 pm
Recess Supervisors: Sarah Spiering, Janice Harman, & Loc Nguyen

Wednesday
K-2 MAP Testing
May Crowning – Grotto – 9:35 am
Recess Supervisors: Ken Mann & Joanna Beale

Thursday
K-2 MAP Testing
Parent Coffee & Doughnut Social – Cafeteria – 8 am (Last one of the year!)
Recess Supervisors: Stephanie Matthews & Mei Po Chiu

Friday
K-2 MAP Testing
Recess Supervisors: Ivo Peev, Darien Curl, & Nirusha LeMouel

Saturday
International Festival – Eagles’ Gym – 2 pm

Submitted by VCMS Science Teacher Pat Christiansen

As Valley Catholic School was working toward its LEED Gold certification for the new K-8 building, students have learned along the way what makes their new building so special in the “green” category and how its design measured up to meet rigorous requirements for energy conservation. On April 10 and 11, sixth-grade students worked with fourth- and fifth-graders to design and create parts of a display board that explain some of these energy-saving features.

The students learned about how the building uses recycled corn cobs in the floor, recycled blue jeans in the insulation in the walls, and recycled wood from the trees on campus for the ceiling and the chapel. They learned about how the windows help the HVAC system work efficiently, and how the lights turn on and off to save energy. The students worked together to make different parts of the project, which will be displayed on small boards later this year.

Submitted by VCEMS Librarian Shauna Jasperson

The Washington County Spelling Contest took place on May 1, 2012. The annual event is hosted by The Northwest Regional Education Service District’s Department of Instruction and School Improvement and held at the agency’s regional office in Hillsboro. There were 30 students representing schools in Washington County in three Divisions, elementary school, middle school, and high school.

Valley Catholic School was represented by fifth-grader Divya Amiratharaj in the Division I competition and seventh-grader Helen Buck in the Division ll competition. They both did a great job amid very stiff competition. Congratulations to Divya and Helen for being great representatives for our school!

Submitted by Valley Catholic Music School Director Sr. Juliana Monti, SSMO

Valley Catholic Music School is looking to bring some additional independent contractors aboard to teach private lessons on the string bass and saxophone. If you know any professional music teachers who would like to increase their lesson load, please have them contact Sr. Juliana Monti. 

Submitted by VCS Parents Joseph and Molly Gauthier

Each year, the Oregon Scholastic Chess Federation (OSCF) hosts the State Championship in Seaside, Oregon. This year, several hundred elementary, middle school and high school students from all around Oregon competed on Saturday, April 28. It started on Friday with fun events like Blitz Chess and Bug House Chess. These are chess variation games that do not count for competition, but rather serve as warm ups and ice-breakers for pre-tournament jitters. The kids had a blast.

Two third-grade students from Valley Catholic Elementary School placed in this competition.

Avril Gauthier finished ninth in the state in the Prep Section of the Elementary Division. At the Awards Ceremony, Avril was given an Honorable Mention trophy for winning four of six chess matches during the day-long six-round tournament.

Nakhil Samudrala competed in the Intermediate Section of that division and placed 20th. 

Avril’s parents, Joseph and Molly Gauthier, would like to thank Chris Allen, one of the coaches. Chris guided them in the selection of chess reference training materials in preparation for local & state competitions.

Congratulations to these two students for their accomplishments!